[ noun ] tropical American tree producing cacao beans <noun.plant>
cacao \ca*ca"o\, n. [Sp., fr. Mex. kakahuatl. Cf. {Cocoa}, {Chocolate}] (Bot.) A small evergreen tree ({Theobroma Cacao}) of South America and the West Indies. Its fruit contains an edible pulp, inclosing seeds about the size of an almond, from which cocoa, chocolate, and broma are prepared. ※ ||
When prices hit the top end, distributors are allowed to search for cheaper imports on the international market. The importance of coffee and cacao, which cover nearly a third of the area sown with primary agricultural products, is likely to decrease.
In the meeting, which ended Wednesday, the agriculture ministers agreed to study whether such crops as coffee, cacao and palm oil could be economically viable substitutes for coca cultivation.